1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to electrical connections and, in particular, to a system and method for establishing and maintaining a removable connection between an electrical conductor of a first connector assembly and a contact pin of a second connector assembly.
2. Related Art
Various kinds of electrical connectors exist and have been used for decades to provide a removable electrical connection between various types of electrical components and devices. One such kind of removable electrical connector is known as a BNC or Bayonet Niel-Concelman connector. BNC connectors were developed many years ago and are typically used to connect coaxial (i.e., two conductor) cables, frequently in low-power, radio-frequency, and test applications, although they may be used in other applications as well.
FIG. 1 shows a typical female connector 11 and a typical male BNC connector 13 that are designed to engage and disengage with one another. The connectors 11 and 13 are two-conductor connectors, with one of the conductors being a center conductor 23 (which mates with a female receptacle 21), and the other conductor being a center terminal 33 (which mates with a sleeve 15). In many applications, the second conductor, i.e., the center terminal 33 and the sleeve 15, are grounded, although that is not necessary. The sleeve 15 of the female connector 11 surrounds the female receptacle 21 and includes a pair of diametrically opposed engagement pins 17 and 19 that extend radially outward from the sleeve 15. The male connector 13 includes a male BNC center terminal 33 having a center conductor 23. The male connector 13 also includes a locking collar 29 having a pair of slots 25 and 27 that are adapted to engage the engagement pins 17 and 19 on the sleeve 15 of the female connector 11 to lock the connectors 11 and 13 together.
The female and male connectors 11 and 13 can be connected and locked together by first engaging the male BNC center terminal 33 with the sleeve 15 and then rotating the locking collar 29 to the locked position. This twist-lock coupling action is a central feature of the BNC connectors 11 and 13 and allows a reliable electrical connection to be made without the danger of the female and male connectors 11 and 13 gradually working loose or becoming accidentally unplugged.
Some male BNC connectors 13 are associated with additional contact pins (not shown by FIG. 1) that transmit signals in addition to the signals transmitted by center conductor 23 and center terminal 33. These additional contact pins connect to conductive pads (not shown in FIG. 1) associated with the female connector assembly 11. The conductive pads are usually formed on a flexible circuit (not shown) which transmits the signals received from the additional contact pins to other electrical devices.
However, the engagement pins 17 and 19 do not always keep the additional contact pins (not shown in FIG. 1) of the male BNC connector 13 precisely aligned with the conductive pads (not shown in FIG. 1) of the female BNC connector 11. Furthermore, the additional male contact pins of the male BNC connector 13 and the conductive pads of the female BNC connector 11 are not typically aligned when BNC connectors 11 and 13 first engage (i.e., before the engagement pins lock the BNC connectors 11 and 13 together). Therefore, it can be difficult to establish an electrical connection between the additional contact pins and the conductive pads.
Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry for providing a system and method of establishing and maintaining an electrical connection between a female connector assembly and the contact pins of a male connector assembly.
The present invention overcomes the inadequacies and deficiencies of the prior art as discussed hereinbefore. Generally, the present invention relates to a system and method for establishing and maintaining electrical connections between connector assemblies.
The present invention utilizes a mechanical support, a conductive connection, and an electrical connector. The mechanical support has a tapered recess and a wall defining the tapered recess. The conductive connection is electrically coupled to the wall, and the electrical connector is coupled to the mechanical support. Because the recess is tapered, a contact pin from a connector assembly is automatically guided toward a center of the recess when the contact pin is received by the recess. Accordingly, an electrical connection between the conductive connection and the contact pin is easily established and maintained.
The present invention can also be viewed as providing a method for establishing and maintaining electrical connections between connector assemblies. Briefly described, the method can be broadly conceptualized by the following steps: providing a first connector assembly having a first electrical connector and a conductive pin; providing a second connector assembly having a second electrical connector coupled to a mechanical support, the mechanical support having a tapered recess, the recess defined by a wall of the mechanical support; interlocking the first electrical connector with the second electrical connector; passing the contact pin into the recess; engaging the mechanical support with the contact pin; and sliding the contact pin along a surface of the wall.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon examination of the following detailed description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such features and advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention and protected by the claims.